Palestine Branch

Run by Syrian Military Intelligence, this prison is known for its brutal interrogation methods.

 Among the worst was the ‘German chair’, said to have been learned from the Stasi, or East German secret service. A metal frame, with no backrest or seat, was used to stretch the prisoner’s spine to near breaking point.

Maher Arar was beaten on his back, buttock and feet with a two-inch thick electric cable, and heard the screams of other prisoners night and day. Ahmed Abou el Maati was forced to strip down to his shorts and lie blindfold with his hands cuffed to his legs behind his back. Ice water was then poured on him, while he was beaten with thick electric cables on his feet, legs, knees and back.

So I’m lying on the floor, stomach down, legs up, hands behind my back, my cheek on the floor, and then all of a sudden, the closest thing that I could think of really, to describe it, was someone pouring lava on my soles.  That felt like nothing I could describe.  I flipped from the pain.  I just flipped and grabbed my legs.  Of course, during all that time it’s insults, calling me names, kicking me.  So they got me back down, but now so that I don’t flip again, one guy stood over my head, one guy stood over my back, and the others were kicking me with their wooden soled shoes, and another guy was beating my soles with the cables he had…”